Permanent sizing of yarns and fibers with durable polymers and copolymers for the production of fabrics with improved properties for particular end uses

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION TO A PROCESS FOR SIZING COTTON YARNS AND FIBERS. MORE PARTICULARLY, THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A METHOD OF SIZING COTTON FIBERS PRIOR TO WEAVING BY COATING OR IMPREGNATING THE FIBERS WITH POLYMERS AND COPOLYMERS WHICH ADHERE WELL WITH THE FIBER. IN THIS METHOD, COTTON FIBERS ARE SIZED WITH PERMANENT POLYMER ADDITIVES PRIOR TO WEAVING. THE POLYMER ADDITIVE EMPLOYED IS ONE WHICH IMPROVES THE WRINKLE RECOVERY OR ABRASION RESISTANCE WHEN APPLIED TO WOVEN FABRIC. BY APPLICATION OF THE POLYMER ADDITIVE TO THE YARN, PRIOR TO WEAVING, THE POLYMER ADDITIVE SERVES THE DUAL PURPOSE OF ACTING AS A WEAVING SIZE AND IMPROVING THE WRINKLE RECOVERY OF THE FINISHED FABRIC.

United States Patent 756,323, Aug. 29, 1968. This application July 15, 1970, Ser. No. 55,259

Int. Cl. D06m 1/00 US. Cl. 117143 A Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a process for sizing cotton yarns and fibers. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of sizing cotton fibers prior to weaving by coating or impregnating the fibers with polymers and copolymers which adhere well with the fiber. In this method, cotton fibers are sized with permanent polymer additives prior to weaving. The polymer additive employed is one which improves the wrinkle recovery or abrasion resistance when applied to woven fabric. By application of the polymer additive to the yarn, prior to weaving, the polymer additive serves the dual purpose of acting as a weaving size and improving the wrinkle recovery of the finished fabric.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 756,323 filed Aug. 29, 1968, and now abandoned.

A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described, throughout the world for all purposes of the United States Government, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a method for producing cotton durablepress fabrics with superior abrasion resistance. In this method, cotton fibers are sized with permanent polymer additives prior to weaving. The polymer additive employed is one which improves the wrinkle recovery or abrasion resistance when applied to woven fabric. By application of the polymer additive to'the yarn, prior to weaving, the polymer additive serves the dual purpose of acting as a weaving size and improving the wrinkle recovery of the finished fabric. A less than normal amount of crosslinking agent can be utilized in finishing the fabric subsequent to weaving. This procedure provides a method of producing cotton fabrics with smooth drying appearance and improved abrasion resistance.

Heretofore sizing mixtures have been designed to be temporary and are removed by desizing operations immediately after weaving. Permanent polymers are then applied to the fabric. Polymers applied to the fabric tend to stiffen the fabric and at times lead to undesirable yarn binding. This higher degree of stiffness is detrimental from the viewpoint of the esthetics of the fabric to the wearer as well as abrasion resistance in the garment manufactured from such fabrics.

By the process of this invention, polymers can be applied to cotton yarns in the normal manner that starch size is applied. The types of polymers which have been successfully utilized have been polyurethanes, polyacrylates, and butadienestyrene copolymers. The cellulosic warp yarn is passed through the emulsion, squeezed, and

Patented July 11, 1972 "ice dried and cured. The resulting warp beam is then loomed and woven into a fabric. The woven fabric can be scoured, bleached, and dyed. Durable press crosslinking agents and other finishing auxiliaries are then padded onto the fabric and dried.

The advantages of using permanent polymer sizing are many. Polymers can be applied to the yarns in the normal manner that starch size is applied at the slasher. This eliminates the desizing procedure normally encountered in the application of a temporary sizing. Efliciency in weaving is equal to or better than regular starch size. It is also possible to vary the conditions of sizing. For example, you can use permanent sizing in warp and filling, permanent sizing in the warp direction only or a combination of permanent and temporary sizing. Another advantage of applying the permanent polymer to the yarn and then weaving the fabric in contrast to application of the polymer to the woven fabric is that the resultant yarn treated fabrics are softer than the fabrics treated with the same polymer add-on. This reduced stiffness improves edge abrasion resistance. Durable-press fabrics, which have polymers only in the warp direction, do not have the exceedingly low crease sharpness values exhibited by fabrics which have been treated with the same polymers as fabric treatments.

Other variations to this same basic treatment are also possible. A brief description and explanation of these variations will be given.

First, it is possible to prepare fabrics from polymer sized warp and filling yarns. If the same polymer is used for both the warp and filling treatment, the resultant fabric is softer than the fabric treated with the same polymer. The yarn treated fabrics then can be raised to durable press performance with a lower level of crosslinking treatment or at equivalent levels of crosslinking treatment, the yarn treated fabric is softer and has improved abrasion resistance.

In a second variation, yarns were sized with one polymer in the warp direction and a second polymer in the filling direction. No such fabric can be produced from a fabric treatment and the types of polymers used for the warp and filling treatments can be used to control or modify final properties such as breaking strength, crease sharpness, fabric stiffness and other properties. Thus, in the preferred process of the instant invention, durable-press fabrics with superior abrasion resistance can be obtained by:

(a) Weaving a fabric from warp yarns treated with a permanent polymer or a combination of a permanent and temporary polymer and filling yarns treated with a permanent polymer or a combination of a permanent and temporary polymer or no polymer at all; where a temporary polymer was used, the temporary polymer was removed partly, completely, or not at all;

(b) Wetting the fabric with a crosslinking agent;

(c) Drying and curing the treated fabric.

TABLE I.DESIGN AND IDENTIFICATION OF POLYMER TREATED YARN EXPERIMENT Polyacry late A has a glass transition temperature of 0 C. b Polyacrrfilate D has a glass transition temperature of 7 C.

A special variation of sized warp and filling yarn fabrics can be employed to achieve certain unique fabric properties. Thus, it was found that heavyweight fabrics prepared from warp and filling polymer treated yarns (particularly Z-ply yarns) can be used to produce a fabric which has good wash-wear appearance with no further treatment other than application of a softener. Cuffs prepared fi'om such fabrics showed good wash-wear appearance and crease sharpness through 30 launderings. The smooth drying and crease sharpness of such fabrics arise from the heat-set treatment of the polymer. Such fabrics, therefore, have the special advantage of no odor release in the cutting room. A second advantage would be that the fabric can be heat set later and as such an alterable garment can be produced by this method. A further refinement with these heavyweight goods is that the warp and filling polymer treated heavyweight fabrics may be given a light crosslinking treatment, cured flat, washed, made into trousers, and then heat set to produce crease and shape retention. This fabric has the same advantages as in the previous case (alterable precure fabric, no formaldehyde odor in garment plants) with the further advantages of increased durable press appearance and enhanced dimensional stability.

Another general area of variation in these yarn treated fabrics would be to use a combination of permanent and temporary (standard) size in these yarn treatments. The temporary size may then be removed leaving the desired level of permanent size. This approach has the advantage of economy since the polymers used in permanent sizing generally are more expensive than temporary size agents. A further variation of the use of permanent and temporary sizing was observed when such fabric was crosslinked without any intermediate desizing operation. In several cases where both the warp and filling yarns were tested with combinations of permanent and temporary sizes and crosslinked without desizing, fabrics were obtained with 300 WRA and exceedingly high retention of breaking strength. For example, breaking strength retention was 96% in the warp direction and 85% in the filling direction. By contrast a conventional treatment on the non-polymer treated (control) fabric had 39% retention in the warp direction and 32% retention in the filling direction.

TABLE II.PROPERTIES OF UNTREATED AND POLYME R- TREATED YARN FABRICS Warp and fill treated Untreated warp and fill Permanent polymers which can be used by the process of this invention include polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers in the range of about 4% to 20 %by weight. With filling yarns, polymers can be used in the range from 1% to 20% and can also include silicones, polyethylene and polypropylene. Crosslinking agents include dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea, dimethylolmethoxyethyl carbamate and dimethylolpropyleneurea in the range of about 1% to 20% 'by weight and temporary polymers include polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose and starch in the range of about 1% to 15% by weight.

The following examples illustrate but do not limit the scope of this invention. All percentages are by weight.

EXAMPLE 1 A cotton twill fabric was woven using a starch size. The fabric was desized and padded with a 16% polyurethane 4 emulsion. The fabric was dried and crosslinked using a solution consisting of 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, a zinc nitrate catalyst, and a polyethylene softener. The fabric was then dried and cured. Sample test results are shown in Table III.

EXAMPLE 2 A cotton twill fabric was woven using a starch size. The fabric was desized and crosslinked using a solution consisting of 9% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, a zinc nitrate catalyst, and a polyethylene softener. The fabric was dried and crosslinked. Sample test results are shown in Table III.

EXAMPLE 3 A cotton twill fabric was woven from polyurethane treated warp and filling yarns. The warp yarn was polymer treated by adding a 16% polyurethane emulsion at the slasher box and applied to the yarn in the same manner as starch size is conventionally applied in the slashing process. The filling yarn was polymer treated by skein treatment. This was accomplished by making the yarns into skeins, dipping the skeins into a 16% polyurethane emulsion, squeezing in a padder and drying. The yarn was then placed back on cones for weaving.

The fabric, prepared from polymer treated yarns, was then crosslinked, using a solution consisting of 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, a zinc nitrate catalyst, and a polyethylene softener. Sample test results are shown in Table III.

EXAMPLE 4 A cotton fabric was woven from polyacrylate treated yarns as in Example 3. The fabric was then finished with a conventional crosslinking treatment as in Example 3. Sample test results are shown in Table III.

EXAMPLE 5 An untreated cotton fabric was finished with a 16 polyacrylate emulsion to approximate the same add-on as the yarn treated fabric in Example 4, dried and then crosslinked. Sample test results are shown in Table IV.

EXAMPLE 6 A cotton fabric was woven from butadiene-styrene copolymer treated yarns as in Example 3. The fabric was then finished with a conventional crosslinking agent, dried and cured. Sample test results are shown in Table IV.

EXAMPLE 7 A cotton fabric was finished with a butadiene-styrene copolymer emulsion to approximate the same add-on as the yarn treated fabric in Example 6, dried, and then crosslinked. Sample test results are shown in Table IV.

EXAMPLE 8 Cotton fabrics were woven from permanent polymer treated warp and filling yarns as in Example 3. The fabrics were scoured, bleached, and crosslinked using a padsolution containing 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea.

Tables 11L V, VI, VII, and VIII indicate substantial improvements in fabric properties can be achieved over a conventional finish on a control fabric woven with untreated cotton yarns by the use of a conventional finish on fabrics Woven with difierent polymers in the warp and filling yarns.

EXAMPLE 9 A series of cotton fabrics were woven from the same 2-ply yarns. The fabric woven with no size was given a conventional finish using 9% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, zinc nitrate catalyst and polyethylene softener. Additional fabrics woven from resized 2-ply yarns were given a fabric treatment using 16% polyurethane emulsion, dried and retreated with 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, zinc nitrate and polyethylene softener. Some of the yarns were sized with polyurethane. These sized yarns were used to produce two fabrics. One of these fabrics was woven frorn polyurethane treated warp and fill yarns, the other was woven from polyurethane treated warp yarns and untreated filling yarns. Both fabrics were finished using 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, zinc nitrate ad polyethylene. With all fabrics, creases were pressed in between the drying and curing steps. As Table IX readily indicates, the application of polymer in the warp direction only leads to fabric with reduced crease sharpness values equivalent to those exhibited by a conventional finish.

In another instance two fabrics were woven. One fabric had a polyurethane warp and filling yarn treatment, the other had a polyurethane warp treatment and an untreated filling. Both fabrics were then given a croslinking finish with 7.2% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea. The fabric derived from warp and filling polyurethane treatments had a warp stifiness value of 15 X in.-lb. and a filing stiffness value of 8.2 10- in.-lb. By contrast, the fabric with warp yarns only polymer treated had warp stiffness values of 12.5X10- in.-lb. and filling stiffness values of 5.5 x 10- in.-lb. These lower stiffness values readily indicate that softer fabrics can be achieved by application of polymer in one direction only. A control fabric was crosslinked with 9% dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea.

iEXAM-PLE 10 A polymer treated cotton fabric was woven with a combination of a 16% polyurethane emulsion and polyvinyl alcohol sized warp yarns and untreated filling yarns. The polyvinyl alcohol was desized and the resultant fabric was crosslinked with the indicated levels of crosslinking agent. Sample test results are shown in Table X.

EXAMPLE 11 EXAMPLE 12 Two cotton fabrics were woven from yarns treated as in Example 3 with a mixture of 16% polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol. The resulting fabrics were crosslinked, one in the loom state and the other after desizing. In general, it was found that a significant improvement in breaking strength after crosslinking was observed from crosslinking the loom state fabric. Table XI indicates that the presence of retained polyvinyl alcohol leads to a significant increase in both breaking and tearing strengths.

EXAMPLE 13 Tightly woven, 2-ply, heavyweight construction cotton fabrics were given wash-wear appearance and crease retention by using fabrics prepared from warp and filling treated yarns. Two-ply warp and filling yarns were treated with a 16% polyurethane emulsion dried and woven to produce a sample fabric with warp and filling polymer treated yarns. This fabric was treated with 3% polyethylene, dried, made into a trouser cuff, pressed and cured for 10 minutes at 150 C. The cuff was washed 30 times and retained a good sharp crease. The fabric had a 275 WRA after the first wash. The cuif had a wash-wear rating of 3.9 after the first wash and a wash-wear rating of 4.1 after the 30th wash.

EXAMPLE 14 A tightly woven, 2-ply warp and filling cotton yarn was treated with a 16% polyuretane emulsion, dried and woven to produce a sample fabric. The fabric was padded with a solution consisting of 4.5% dimethylol dihydroxyethyeneurea, a zinc nitrate catalyst and 3% polyethylene. The fabric was cured flat, Washed and then made into a trouser cuff. The cuff was pressed, recured and subjected to repeated launderings. The cuff had a 299 WRA and a 4.5 wash-wear rating after the first wash and a 4.4 washwear rating and a commercially acceptable crease after 30 launderings. These fabrics, Examples 12 and 13, provide a means of producing a durable press fabric with no formaldehyde odor problem and fabrics which are capable of being altered since crease retention is a function of heat setting with the polymer.

TABLE III.COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL AND POLYMER TREATED FABRICS Fabric Fabric with polyurepolyurethane thane treated treated yarns Convenand crossand crosstional nked linked Tearing strength (lbs.):

Warp 3. 4 4. 2 5. 0 3. O 3. 5 4. 1

52 452 803 Fill 42 398 502 Wrinkle recovery (W plus F) 293 322 296 Cuff wash-wear rating after:

1st cycle 4. 7 4.6 4. 7 30th cycle 4. 7 4.4 4. 4 Laundry cycles 0 m or damage 5 16 27 Crease sharpness rating after:

1st wash 5. 0 4. 8 4. 8 30th wash 4. 7 5.0 5.0

TABLE IV.GOMPARISON OF FABRIC AND YARN TREAT- MENT WITH POLYMERS TlniusOlsen bend moment, 10- ln.-1bs.

TABLE V.PROPERTIES OF COTTON FABRICS WOVEN FROM WARP YARNS SIZED WITH POLYURETHANE Filling treated yarns Conventional followed Poly- Poly- Buta- Polyby cross ureacrydieneacrylinked thaue late A styrene late D b Breaking strength (lbs):

12 10.5 10.5 11.0 8 1O 8 l0 WRA (W plus F) 295 288 301 285 Crease (rating) 7 5 4. 8 4. 6 4. 8 4. 3 Wash wear (rating) 4. 7 4. 7 4. 4 4. 6 4. 6 Flex abrasion:

Warp 55 803 923 1, 498 1, 323 F111 73 502 429 939 611 Laundry cycle to major damage 5 28 46 31 42 B Polyacrylate A has a glass transition temperature of 0 C. b Polyacrylate D has a glass transition temperature of 7 C.

TABLE VI.PROPERTIES OF COTTON FABRICS WOVEN TABLE VIIL-PROPERTIES OF COTTON FRABRICS WOVEN FROM WARP YARNS SIZED WITH POLYACRYLATE A FROM WARP YARNS SIZED WITH BUTADIENE STYRENE Treated filling yarns Treated filling yarns Conven- Conventional tional followed Poly- Buta- Poly- Polyfollowed Buta- Poly- Poyl- Poly by cross aerydiene 111'0 aeryby crossed diene acryurcacrylinked late A Styrene thane late I) linked styrene late A thane late D b Breaking strength Breaking strength (lbs): (lbs.):

Warp 40 73 69 71 40 70 76 70 71 Fill 51 53 57 29 47 45 44 44 Tear strength (grams) 7 Warp 1,506 2, 567 2, 600 2, 600 Fill l, 333 2,533 2, 167 2,067 1, 566 2, 700 2,933 2, 533 2, 467 Stiffness (T.O.): 1,333 2,000 2,400 2,000 1,800

Warp... 7. 2 13. 14. 5 13. 5 0. 7

' 6.8 6. 5 6. 75 7.2 5. 7 7.2 8 7. 7 9. 5 8.5 WRA (W plus F)- 293 281 290 304 273 6. 8 5. 2 5. 7 7. 5 11 Crease (rating) 5 4. 3 4. 5 4. 6 4. 6 293 308 296 290 285 Wash wear (rating) 4. 7 4.2 4. 2 4. 2 4.1 Crease (rating) 5 4. 6 4.8 5.0 4. 3 Flex abrasion: Wash wear Warp 55 846 738 900 1,036 (rating) 4. 7 4. 5 4. 4 4. 6 4. 2 Fill 73 414 555 504 575 Flex abrasion Laundry cycle to Warp 55 791 805 580 624 major damage 5 46 42 4 49 20 Fill 73 462 460 372 269 Laundry cycle to u Polyacrylate A has a glass transition temperature of 0 C. major damage 5 42 46 35 47 b Polyaerylate D has a glass transition temperature of 7 C.

Polyaerylate A has a glass transition temperature of 0 C. b Polyaeiylate D has a glass transition temperature of 7 0.

TABLE IX Wrinkle Crease recovery sharfpnesss es TABLE VII.PROPERTIES OF COTTON FABRICS WOVEN m 3 9 {5130M WARP YARNS SIZED WITH POLYACRYLATE Finish w F degrees Conventional 140 139 62 Treated filling yarns Fabric, polymer treated 150 150 32 Warp and fill yarns polymer treated 159 162 27 ggg Warp yarns polymer treated fill yarns 156 139 58 followed Poly- Buta- Poly- Polyuntreated by cross acrydiene aery; urelinked late D styrene late theme 35 TABLE X C Laulndrty WRA Wash wear rease cyc es 0 $8 1st sharpness major Treatment wash 1st 35th 35th damage 1 555 2 433 2 13a 2 533 2 257 7 dimeth 40 ylol dihydroxy- 11333 067 21233 2133 e gh ene i et n 209 4. 7 4. 7 5.0 7. 5

7. 2 7. 0 7. 0 7.0 7. 5 lme Y 6.8 7. 5 8.0 7. 0 5. 5 dlhydmxyeth 5 293 281 267 282 296 yleneurea 289 5. 0 5- 0 5- 0 3 g) 5 4. 7 4.8 4. 5 4.8 methyl Wash wear (rating). 4. 7 4. 3 4. 6 4. 3 4. 5 ydroxyeth- Flex abmsmn y l u i l r1) 286 5 0 5 o 5 0 arp 55 534 297 499 413 4 Fill 7a 310 235 289 305 7 at e 2,; Launflry cycle m 5 31 34 39 30 yie eu gf 304 5.0 5.0 5.0

ma or damage 6% i l l gg l Polyaorylate D has a glass transition temperature of 7 0. me one y Polyaorylate A has a glass transition temperature of 0 C. 50 carbamate 295 0 0 0 30 TABLE XI Breaking Tearing strength/lbs. strength/g. Degree of Treatment of yarns warp Fill finish WRA Warp Fill Warp Fill Polyurethane followed by Untreated Deslzed 309 64 27 2, 800 1, 000 polyvinyl alcohol. Loom state 293 93 47 2,900 1, 567 Mixture polyurethane and Mixture polyurethane Desized 320 61 50 1,800 1,483 polyvinyl alcohol. arid 1pollyvinyl Loom state.-.. 296 88 77 2, 733 2, 467

a co 0 Mixture polyurethane and Mixture {DeslzedL 301 53 29 2,033 1, 050 polyvinyl alcohol. Loom state 318 62 40 2, 500 1, 400 Starch Untreated Deslzed 287 36 29 1, 500 1, 366 D do Desized, not 201 92 90 4, 600 4,600

erossllnked.

We claim:

1. A process for producing a crosslinked, durable-press, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, comprismg:

(a) treating cotton warp and filling yarns with an emulsion containing about from 4% to 20% by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers;

(b) weaving a fabric from the treated yarns of step (c) wetting the woven fabric from step (b) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(d) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (c) to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 280 (W+F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp and filling breaking strength retention than the corresponding control, at least better warp and filling tearing strength retention than the corresponding control, and at least a 2-3 fold better abrasion resistance than the corresponding control.

2. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the process of claim '1.

3. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, comprising:

(a) treating cotton warp yarns with an emulsion containing about from 4% to by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylenevinylacetate copolymers;

(b) weaving a fabric of the treated warp yarns of step (a) and untreated cotton filling yarns;

(c) wetting the woven fabric from step (b) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(d) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (c) to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 275 (W+F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp breaking strength retention than the corresponding control, and a 23 fold better abrasion resistance than the corresponding control.

4. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the process of claim 3.

5. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, comprising:

(a) treating cotton warp yarns with an emulsion containing about from 4% to 20% by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylenevinylacetate copolymers, and treating cotton filling yarns with an emulsion containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylenevinylacetate copolymers, excluding those combinations where the polymers in the warp and filling directions are identical;

(b) weaving a fabric from the treated warp and filling yarns of step (a);

(c) wetting the woven fabric from step (b) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(d) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (c) to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 280 (W+F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp and filling breaking strength retention than the corresponding control, at least 10% better warp and filling tearing strength retention than the corresponding control, and at least a 2-3 fold better abrasion resistance than the corresponding control.

6. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the process of claim 5.

7. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, comprising:

(a) treating cotton warp and filling yarns with an emulsion containing about from 4% to 20% by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers,

(b) further treating the treated yarns from step (a) with a solution containing about from 1% to 15% by Weight of a temporary size selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, and starch;

(c) weaving a fabric from the treated yarns of step (d) wetting the woven fabric from step (c) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(e) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (d) to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 280 (W+F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp and filling breaking strength retention than the corresponding control, at least 10% better warp and filling tearing strength retention than the corresponding control, and a 2-3 fold better abrasion resistance than the corresponding control.

8. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the proces of claim 7.

9. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, comprising:

(a) treating cotton warp and filling yarns with an emulsion containing about from 4% to 20% by weight of a permanent polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadienestyrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and ethylenevinylacetate polymers;

(b) further treating the treated yarns from step (a) with a solution containing about from 1% to 15% by weight of a temporary size selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, and starch;

(c) desizing the temporary size from the treated yarns of step (b);

(d) weaving a fabric from the desized yarns of step (e) wetting the woven fabric from step (d) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(f) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (e) to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 275 (W+F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4 ,a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp breaking strength retention than the corresponding control, at least 10% better warp tearing strength retention than the corresponding control, and a 2-3 fold better abrasion resistance than the corresponding control.

10. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the process of claim 9.

11. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, tion than the corresponding control, at least comprising: better warp tearing strength retention than the corre- (a) treating cotton warp and filling yarns with a mixsponding control, and a 2-3 fold better abrasion ture containing about from 4% to 10% by weight resistance than the corresponding control. of a permanent polymer selected from the group 14. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadieneprocess of claim 13. styrene copolymers, -butadiene-acrylonitrile copoly- 15. A process for imparting permanent creases in a mers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers, and durable-press cotton fabric without the use of a crossabout from 12% to 1% by weight of a temporary linking reaction during the crease setting step, comprising:

.(c) weaving a fabric from the desized yarns of step (d) wetting the woven fabric from step (c) with a solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight of a crosslinking agent; and

(e) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (d) polymer selected from the group consisting of poly- 10 (a) treating cotton warp and filling yarns with an vinyl alcohol, canboxymethylcellulose, and starch; emulsion containing about from 4% to 20% by (b) weaving a fabric from the treated warp and filling weight of a permanent polymer selected from the yarsn of step (a); group consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, (c) wetting the woven fabric from step (b) with a butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonisolution containing about from 1% to 20% by 15 trile copolymers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolyweight of a crosslinking agent; and mers; (d) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (c) (b) weaving a tightly-woven fabric from the treated to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a warp and filling yarns of step (a); 280 (W-l-F) wrinkle recovery a crease sharpness (c) wetting the woven fabric from step (b) with a rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least solution containing about from 1% to 20% by weight 4, at least 20% better warp and filling breaking of a crosslinking agent; strength retention than the corresponding control, (d) drying and curing the wetted fabric from step (c) at least 10% better warp tearing strength retention flat; than the corresponding control, and a 21-3 fold better (e) washing the flat-cured fabric from step (d) free abrasion resistance than the corresponding control. 25 of unreacted reagents; and [12. The crosslinked cotton fabric produced by the (f) pressing creases into the washed fabric of step (e) process of claim. 11. and heat setting the creases.

13. A process for producing a crosslinked, durablepress, cotton fabric with superior abrasion resistance, com- References Cited zs treat'ng cotton warp a d fill'ng yarns w'th UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1 n l 1 a m1xture containing about from 4% to 10% by weight glzeu i of a permanent polymer selected from the group 2220508 11/1940 i i consisting of polyurethanes, polyacrylates, butadiene- 2292921 8/1942 e 1 T; styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copoly- 0c eta 1 mers, and ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers and 01509 111/1942 Bock et a1 117-461 2132 901 10/1938 Jochum et al. 117--161 about from 12% to 1% by weight of a temporary 442 6 /1958 Abrams et al. 117139'.5 X size selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl 3228 alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose and starch' 11/1956 Zmamon et 223' 3O 40 2,536,050 11/1951 Fluck 117-139.4 g izf gii tempmry 5126 mm the treated yams 2,911,326 11/1959 Haney et al. 117 139.4 3,360,494 12/1967 Bolinger 117-1395 A WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner T. G. DAVIS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

to obtain a crosslinked cotton fabric with at least a 275 (W-l-F) wrinkle recovery, a crease sharpness rating of at least 4, a durable press rating of at least 4, at least 20% better warp breaking strength reten- 117-11, 66, 138.8 UA, 139.4, 139.5 A, 161 KP, 161 NID, 161 LN, 161 UE, 161 U13, 161 UC; 81l5.6, 116 R, 116.2, 116.3, 116.4 

